People have condemned a housing company for planning “rabbit hutch” development after they doubled the number of flats planned in a new building.

Paul Simon Homes were granted permission by Haringey Council last year to build between 25 and 30 flats on Willoughby Road opposite Ducketts Common. However, thanks to a planning loophole around 60 flats are now set to be built on the site.

The decision has prompted outrage from people living nearby, who say that the high density housing will be in danger of becoming “slums”.

Sharon Grant, of the Ladder Community Safety Partnership, a group of people who aim to protect peoples’ safety in Harringay, said: “Knowing the building well I find it astonishing that anyone is allowed to build in this way – it is a rabbit hutch development build by speculators that’ll turn into a slum.

“Shouldn’t something be done about planning laws that allow this? It seems that once you’ve got planning permission for change of use for a modest development, you can then build what you like without challenge.”

Under planning regulations, the developers do not need to submit a further planning application to construct more homes on a site after they have already got permission to build. This is because they have already got the support needed to change the “use” of the site, which is all they need.

The council have no planning control over the standard of housing. They can only intervene over environmental issues, such as transport, flooding and contamination.

According to the Paul Simon website, the “stylish studio flats” will be open by May 2016.

Haringey Council have been contacted for comment on this story. Paul Simon Homes declined to comment.